


Selftober 2019

by jamieaiken919



Category: Call of Duty (Video Games), Call of Duty Zombies
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2020-11-23 10:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 17,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20890517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamieaiken919/pseuds/jamieaiken919
Summary: A collection of self shippy autumn one shots, featuring none other that yours truly, showing her love for her favorite German doctor.





	1. Day 1- Holding Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! It's been a hell of a long time since I've posted ANYTHING here!! I've missed you all, my lovely readers!
> 
> You may notice that this fandom appears to have come out of nowhere compared to my previous works, and that's because it kind of did, lol. Never in my life did I think that I would be remotely thinking about a Call of Duty game, let alone falling in love with the zombies mode and the characters in it. I place full blame on my friend for this, who also is part of the universe this AU is a part of. For context- my friend and I created an alternate 'timeline', if you will, where the Ultimis crew wind up in present day. We find them, take them in, and shenanigans ensue. I've written this with the Ultimis crew in mind, but I'm hoping that it translates for either Ultimis or Primis. (I definitely feel like this is more Primis Edward, lol) Anyway, this is just one of many things I'll have coming up involving these guys, so if you like this, let me know!! This particular work is using a challenge list from an amazing tumblr account called selfshipbulletin, who called this Selftober 2019! The original post will be linked below, so be sure to show them some love for making such a sweet list!
> 
> https://selfshipbulletin.tumblr.com/post/188072026783/selftober-prompt-list
> 
> I have this rated as general audience for the time being, but as I work my way through this list, things may get a little spicy. If that does happen, I will change the rating of the overall work and place disclaimers on the individual chapters themselves.
> 
> DISCLAIMER- I listed this under the 'canon divergence' AU because I am well aware that plenty of the fandom headcanons Edward as gay. I take absolutely no issue with this. However, I personally headcanon him as pansexual, and I will not accept any hate for that headcanon. If you disagree with what I have written in terms of Edward being pansexual or being with a woman, please either be respectful or refrain from commenting. I will respect you as long as you respect me in return.\
> 
> Now with that out of the way, ON WITH THE FIC!!!

Edward, as usual, had woken before anyone in the house, and found himself sitting at the kitchen island with a glass of milk and the previous day’s newspaper. Waking before the sunrise allowed him to take advantage of the solitude the early morning hours provided, something his old life never allowed. It was still an adjustment for him- being able to sleep soundly, in an actual bed, under a roof, and without the fear or paranoia of his past. The relative calm still occasionally set him on edge, but he was eternally grateful for where he and his allies now found themselves, and for the ones who allowed them to find it. 

His attention was pulled away from the newspaper by the soft sound of shuffling feet, and he looked up to see Julia entering the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and yawning. He couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips as she made her way to the refrigerator, noting that she was wearing only a long sleeved sleep shirt and a pair of knee high socks- an ensemble reserved for when she felt particularly tired.

“Is this late night or early morning?” He asked, knowing of the girl’s erratic sleeping habits.

“Early morning,” She said, her voice low and hoarse. She pulled a bottle of coffee creamer from the refrigerator and turned her attention to Edward, smiling as she saw him still in his pajamas as well. “I was so exhausted after work that I went straight to bed. I didn’t even shower, I just took my makeup off and passed the hell out.”

“That’s unusual for you,” He mused, watching her as she set up the coffeemaker. “Normally you get a second wind when you get home.”

“Yeah, I guess it was just too much stress yesterday... shit’s been insane, and getting closer to Christmas it’ll only get worse. Nothing I haven’t been doing for years though...”

“Things are so different... hearing your stories about your job compared to when I was in the workforce.”

“Before the zombies?”

“Yes, before the zombies.”

The two shared a laugh as the coffeemaker bubbled on the counter, the kitchen filling with the distinct, comforting scent. Edward finished his glass of milk and moved his stool out to stand, but Julia grabbed the glass from him before he could move. He folded his arms across his chest, the action causing her to laugh as she placed the glass in the sink.

“I was about to do that, you know.” He protested, laughing despite himself as she playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

“Too bad, I beat you to it.” She pulled two mugs from the cabinet above her, showing them to Edward and tilting her head questioningly. He nodded, and she grinned before turning and pouring the fresh coffee for both of them. “Do you want some of my creamer? It’s pumpkin flavored, but it’s sweet...”

“Why not? I’ve liked most of the things you’ve roped me into trying so far.”

“I haven’t roped you into anything!” She was laughing out loud now, and he smiled fondly at the sound. “You’ve willingly gone along with everything I’ve fed you. You even tried the sushi!”

“I still don’t know how you and Takeo eat that...” He shuddered at the thought of the raw fish as Julia sat down beside him. She handed him his coffee, and he sniffed at it before taking a cautious sip. His eyes went wide as the flavor hit his tongue, and she grinned at his reaction. “This, however, is good.”

“I told you!” A happy sound came from her throat as she took a drink from her own mug, taking Edward by surprise. “Fall is the best time of year because everything comes in pumpkin flavor.”

“Everything?”

“Literally everything. Even things that shouldn’t.”

The pair shared another laugh before falling into a comfortable silence, the light in the kitchen beginning to change as the sun started to poke its way into the sky. Edward glanced down at the counter and Julia’s free hand resting lightly, her body relaxed as she looked out the window. He was overcome by the sudden urge to feel her skin, and before he could stop himself, reached out and gently placed his hand on top of hers. He felt her tense briefly before relaxing once again, turning her hand over beneath his and carefully threading their fingers together. He marveled for a moment at the stark differences between their hands- hers, soft and feminine, and his, bony and scarred. Despite the differences, it felt natural to him. He felt her squeeze his hand, and he pulled his attention up to her face, where he was met with a serene smile. He returned the squeeze of the hand, and they remained that way as they finished their coffee. And for the first time in ages, Edward felt ready to start his day.


	2. Day 2- Hug

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW I'M LIKE EIGHT THOUSAND YEARS LATE ON THE PROMPTS I'M SORRY. For some reason this one gave me a hell of a time, but I'm hoping now the rest will be easy! I've got a lot to catch up on but hopefully it'll be smooth sailing from here!
> 
> I also realized as I was working on this that what I wrote for this would have actually fit better with the prompt for day 6 (comfort), but I've already got something else planned for that one. This one is definitely not one of my strongest pieces of writing, but I hope you guys enjoy it anyway!

As Julia quietly entered her house, a feeling of dread washed over her. She shared the home with her friend, and the four men they had taken in upon discovering them in a time and place not their own. She could hear them all in the large living room, laughing and being their usual raucous selves. On a normal night, she would make her presence known in an equally raucous way, usually by jumping onto the couch and straight into one of their laps. On this night though, she couldn’t bear the thought of being around any of them. She kicked off her shoes and threw her bag down before hurrying up the stairs, fighting her watering eyes as she went.

Edward heard the almost imperceptible sound of the front door closing, a smile coming to his face as it signaled the return of their sixth housemate. That smile, however, faded as quickly as it had come when he realized that Julia hadn’t made her usual boisterous entrance. He looked over the back of the couch just in time to see her disappearing up the stairs, her head cast downward as if she were hiding herself. Without a word, he took his leave from his allies, quickly following her as he heard her bedroom door close at the end of the hall. 

From his position at the top of the staircase, Edward could see a small sliver of light coming from her doorway, and he let out a small sigh as he worked up the nerve to follow her further. The last thing he wanted was to bother her while she was upset, but from personal experience, he knew that the feeling of isolation was sometimes worse than whatever had caused the feelings of negativity in the first place. He peered through the small opening where the latch hadn’t caught the door, and his heart sank as he saw Julia sitting on the edge of her bed, her shoulders shaking and her hands covering her face. 

“Julia?” His voice was uncharacteristically soft as he poked his head through the doorway. He frowned as her shoulders tensed at the sound of his voice; she rarely, if ever, reacted to him this way. “Are you alright?”

“I’ve been better,” Her voice was strained, as if she was using all her strength to avoid breaking down in front of him. “Today was just... a complete fucking disaster.”

“Anything you want to talk about?” Edward entered the room, closing and locking the door behind him. He knew that the rest of the group would be concerned if they realized she was upset, and he wanted to avoid having them potentially disturb her more than he was already doing. 

“I don’t want to make you feel bad... you guys were having a great time downstairs, I don’t want to be the reason the mood gets wrecked again...”

“Nothing will make our mood turn more than knowing you’re upset.” Her face contorted in pain once again, and he was at her side in an instant, his arms wrapping tightly around her as she folded against his chest. He could feel her body shaking, and he carefully rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her. “I’m not the best at this... but I’m here.”

“Thank you... I already felt like shit today and then people were just total fucking assholes on top of it. I shouldn’t be this upset but...” He continued to rub her back as her sentence trailed off, simply allowing her to cry against him. After a moment he felt her lift her head, and his chest clenched with an unfamiliar pain as he looked into her reddened eyes. “I probably look terrible now...”

“You never look terrible.” She laughed bitterly, and he pulled her close once again as she silently cried. “Alles wird gut, schatz...”

“I have no idea what you just said.”

“Du siehst immer schön aus, liebling.” He smiled as her body stopped shaking, a small giggle escaping her instead of sobs. “Und alles wird gut.”

“Edward, I can’t understand a single word of what you’re saying.”

“That’s the point, I don’t have to worry about you figuring me out.”

“Oh shush.” She pulled back again, a tiny smile replacing her frown, and Edward’s heart soared. “Thank you for following me up here.”

“I said I’m here, and I meant that. You’ve done far more than this for us, I have to at least do this.”

“That’s not true at all, but I’ll take it.”

Edward leaned over and grabbed a pack of wipes sitting on Julia’s bedside table, taking one and gently wiping the trailed mascara and eyeliner away from her cheeks. She started to protest, but he swiped the cloth over her lips, silencing her words and making her laugh out loud for the first time since she’d arrived home. She took the wipe from him and walked over to her desk, removing the rest of her makeup while Edward watched. He had always been intrigued at the sheer amount of time and effort she put into making up her face, only to see her wash it all away at the end of the day. As she turned to face him, he felt a sense of triumph as he noticed the smile still on her face; even more so when he saw the smile directed to him.

“Thank you so much, Edward...” She tossed the wipe into the trash as she walked toward the bed, and he rose to his feet to envelop her in another tight embrace. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Es würde dir gut gehen, schatz...” He laughed as she smacked him lightly on the arm, and he looked down to see her pouting playfully up at him.

“Don’t start with the German again.”

“I can’t help it, it’s in mein blood.”

“Will you stay with me?” Edward was taken aback by the question, but felt himself nodding a yes. She smiled softly, leaving his arms and picking up her pajamas from the chair in the corner of her room. “Lemme just brush my teeth, okay?"

“Are you sure you don’t want something to eat?”

“I stuffed my face with some chicken nuggets while I was driving home.”

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”

Julia pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it at Edward’s face, laughing as he fought against it. He pulled the fabric away from his eyes in time to see her pushing her pants down her legs, and he could feel his face getting warm as she stood before him wearing only her underwear. She looked over and he quickly turned his head, causing her to giggle softly.

“You’ve seen me in a bathing suit, what’s the difference?”

“It’s a bit different when it’s undergarments...” 

“You’re still seeing the same bits, just in a different context.” She stuck her tongue out at him before pulling her sleep shirt on, the static from the fabric making her hair stick up. “I swear to god, this static electricity...”

She skirted past him and disappeared into her bathroom, leaving Edward alone holding her shirt. He couldn’t help but smile thinking about how quickly her mood had improved, and the fact that he was the one that she had entrusted to help her. He carefully folded her shirt, placing it on the same chair she had pulled her pajamas from before picking up her pants and doing the same to them.

“You could’ve just left those on the floor, y’know.” He turned to see her poking her head out of the bathroom doorway, smiling as she wiped toothpaste away from her mouth. “I don’t have to work for the next couple days, so they usually just stay on the floor until I need them again.”

“You don’t work tomorrow?”

“Nope, I’ve got the next three days off!”

“That’s good, you can take that time to... decompress, I believe is the right word.”

“Yeah... yeah, you’re right. After that pathetic breakdown I probably need it.”

“Nothing is pathetic about letting your feelings out.” Edward took her by the hand, shutting out the lights in the bathroom and bedroom before leading her over to her bed. The room was left bathed in the soothing glow of the salt lamp on her desk, giving off just enough light for him to see as he guided her under the blankets. He hesitated for a moment before climbing in with her, closing the drapes around the bed and leaving them fully in darkness. “You’re sure you want me to stay?”

“Yes,” Her voice was soft, and it sent a shiver up his spine. “Thank you so much, Edward...”

“Alles für dich, liebling. Alles.”

“Again with the German?”

“Ja.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATION TIME! I am not fluent in German by any means, so most of this was reliant on google translate. Forgive me if anything is off!
> 
> _Alles wird gut, schatz_\-- Everything will be alright, dear  
_Du siehst immer schön aus, liebling_\-- You always look beautiful, darling  
_Und alles wird gut_\-- And everything will be alright  
_Es würde dir gut gehen, schatz_\-- You would be fine, dear  
_mein_\-- my  
_Alles für dich, liebling. Alles._\-- Anything for you, darling. Anything.  
_ja_\-- yes__


	3. Day 3- Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually SUPER happy with this one! It took a while, but I think it's worth it!

When Edward normally woke in the mornings, he had the habit of stretching his arms and legs out before opening his eyes. It was a habit he’d picked up as a child, to ensure that he was still in a bed before making the effort to get up. As he’d grown older, and the circumstances around him bizarrely changed, he used it to ensure he could still feel his surroundings; to ensure that he was still alive. On this morning, the thing that shocked him into opening his eyes first was the feeling of warmth beside him- something that was wholly unfamiliar and disarming to him. Even more disarming was the total darkness that surrounded him as he opened his eyes, when he had been expecting to see at least some level of light filtering in through the windows of his bedroom.

He reached a hand out into the darkness, his memory finally kicking in as he felt a thick curtain against his fingertips. He quickly remembered that he was in Julia’s bed rather than his own, having stayed with her after her emotional tumble the night prior. He’d easily obliged her request, wanting nothing more in that moment than to provide her every bit of safety and comfort that she had offered to him and his allies.

As he laid staring into the darkness, his mind began to wander, thinking back on the few times he’d actually allowed himself to open his heart to his feelings. The first had been when he was a child, far before he had any idea what those feelings even were. His family’s neighbors had a daughter just about his same age, and he’d often found himself sharing the afternoons with her in one of their backyards. One moment in particular stood glaringly in his mind- when they had been slowly swinging together on the playset his father had built for him and his sister. The girl had grabbed his hand to keep them together as the swings moved, and he vividly recalled the way his face had warmed and his heartbeat quickened at the touch. That had been before the loss of his parents and sister, and before the pain from those losses had replaced any remote feelings of love left in his young heart.

The second- and only other- time was when he was a young student just starting his studies at Heidelberg University, before he was taken under the tutelage of Ludvig Maxis. He had been placed in a dorm with another aspiring young scientist, and a friendship had quickly formed as they connected over their various studies. Over time he’d begun to feel that same rush in his heart that he felt when the neighbor girl grasped his hand, and he had been under the assumption that the other boy felt the same. His heart had been pushed to its limit once again when he’d worked up the courage to tell his roommate about his feelings, only to be swiftly rejected. After that, he’d thrown himself into his studies, vowing to himself that he would never allow his emotions to override his logic again. His two previous attempts at understanding his heart had failed for vastly differing reasons, but each one left him feeling the same- with an overwhelming amount of hurt, and disappointment in himself for allowing those emotions to get the better of him in the first place.

Then came the day that he and his reluctant allies had found themselves somewhere they had never expected to be- in a time and place that had been freed from the things that had been following and plaguing them for ages. No more zombies to deal with and, perhaps more significantly, no more attachment to the lives they’d left behind. A new start, as Takeo had eloquently put it. 

Edward pulled the curtain open just enough to allow some light to filter into the bed, and finally looked down at the girl still asleep next to him. He realized then that letting one’s guard down- that letting others in- was not a sign of weakness. The night before, she had intended to hide herself away, leaving herself alone with her pain. Instead, she had allowed him to comfort her, and the night had ended with them both smiling. It made him realize that showing kindness and care for another did not mean they would use or abuse him. That the right people would offer those things in return.

He was pulled out of his thoughts and memories by Julia suddenly stretching beside him, her arms and legs extending out and brushing against him before she curled back in on herself. He chuckled softly as he brushed a piece of hair away from her face, her peaceful expression a welcome contrast to the tear stained eyes he’d been met with only a few hours earlier. 

“Like a little kitten,” He mused, his eyes then falling to her much loved fox stuffed animal in the corner of her bed. “Or a fox...”

“What about a fox?” Her voice startled him, he smiled as he noticed her eyes just barely flutter open. He pulled the curtain shut again before laying back down with her, tensing slightly as she instinctively curled up against him. He hesitated only briefly before wrapping his arm protectively around her.

“Only that your stretching reminded me of a fox,” He held her close, feeling his heart beating fast. This time, however, he decided that he would finally allow his heart to guide him. “Nothing to worry about, Kleiner.”

“You flop like a bunny when you sleep...” She mumbled, and he couldn’t help but laugh as she spoke her jumbled thoughts aloud. “That’s what I’ll call you, bunny...”

“Back to sleep... you need your rest.”

“Thank you for staying with me...”

Edward was surprised as he looked down, seeing Julia’s face turned up towards his. She nuzzled against his chin, and his face was getting warmer by the second at her sleepy displays of affection. Before he could move, he felt her lips brush against his, the feeling sending his racing heart and mind into overdrive. His arm tightened around her and before he could overthink it, he pressed his lips a bit more firmly to hers, the action earning a pleased sigh from the girl before she finally succumbed once again to sleep. Edward was left alone with his thoughts, which was something that normally made him scared shitless. But after the brief moment they shared, he couldn’t help but feel that something was about to change for the best.

“You likely won’t remember this in the morning... though I hope you do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation time!
> 
> _Kleiner_\- Little one


	4. Day 4- Cuddle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOD I AM SO FAR BEHIND D:  
I've determined that I'm just an utter failure at trying to keep up with these challenges. I may or may not have a plan for December though! ;D  
This chapter is a LOT of dialogue, but there's not much else to do while you're laying in bed with someone. XD  
I hope everyone enjoys!

The warmth that Edward felt against his side when he woke was a comfort, something he had been gradually getting used to in the time he’d been living in a new and unfamiliar world. The feeling of actually waking up next to someone, though, was something he had never experienced before in his life, regardless of what dimension he and his allies found themselves in. He opened his eyes, looking down to see Julia still curled up against him, and a smile made its way to his face. He recalled their brief moment during the night, when she had brushed her lips against his. Normally, such a tender display of affection was the last thing on his mind, and the idea of being intimate with anyone would have sent his overly analytical mind into a panic. But as he looked at the girl sleeping peacefully next to him, he realized that until that moment, he had never felt more secure in his life.

Julia shifted next to him, and Edward was met suddenly by sleepy brown eyes.

“Guten morgen,” His voice was soft, and he could feel his face warming once again as she smiled gently up to him. “Sleep well?”

“Better than I’ve slept in a long ass time...” He chuckled at her bluntness, never hindered even in her half-asleep state. “Did you?”

“I did wake up for a bit in the middle of the night... the complete darkness threw me for a moment.” She giggled, and his heart stuttered. 

“It is kinda like a dark cave in here,” She moved herself up and let her head rest on his shoulder, and the arm he’d wrapped around her during the night tightened instinctively. “It didn’t freak you out or anything, did it?”

“Once I remembered where I was, I was alright.” He glanced down to see her eyes closed again, the smile still on her face as she snuggled up to him. “I had forgotten you asked me to stay with you until I saw you next to me.”

“Thank you again... for everything you did last night, not just staying with me.”

“You thanked me in your sleep, I don’t think you need to thank me any further.”

“I did _what_?” He looked down again as she shifted, and was met with a curious stare.

“You very briefly woke after I did to stretch your arms and legs, and you thanked me for staying again.”

“I didn’t say anything stupid, did I?”

“You did say that I sleep like a bunny...”

“_A bunny?_”

“You said ‘you flop over in your sleep like a bunny’, and said that you’d call me bunny from now on.”

“What the fuck, brain?” She buried her face against his shoulder, and he laughed out loud as she berated herself. “That doesn’t even make any sense!”

“To be fair, I did say that your stretching reminded me of a fox... perhaps that’s where the connection was made.”

“Yeah, but still, what the fuck brain... wait, what?” She fixed him with another curious glance, and he simply nodded in affirmation. “A fox?”

“At first I thought of a kitten, but then I thought a fox was more fitting.” She hid her face again, but he could feel her shoulders shaking lightly as she fought back her giggles. “Maybe I’ll start calling you ‘foxy’, since you’ve decided to call me bunny.”

“So my depressed and sleep deprived ass started a thing? We’re going to be the fox and the bun now?”

“I like the idea.”

“I didn’t do any other stupid shit in my sleep, did I?” Edward tensed as the memory of their brief kiss came rushing back to his mind, and he could feel Julia shift against his side again. “Edward?”

“No... no, nothing stupid...” He hesitated, unsure if he should mention the moment. “You were rather... affectionate, though.”

“What-“ She cut herself off, sitting still for a moment before grabbing the blanket and pulling it completely over her head. “Please tell me I didn’t do what my brain is telling me I did...”

“You may have... kissed me without realizing...”

“Edward, I am so sorry-“

“Nein,” He gently tugged the blanket away from her face, bringing a hand up beneath her chin and tilting her head up to look at her. “It didn’t bother me at all.”

They stayed in silence for a moment, before Edward pulled Julia tight against his body. Her arm wrapped around his waist as well, and his eyes closed as she pressed her forehead against his. There were so many questions and conflictions racing through his mind, but all of them seemed to disappear in the moment. She lightly nuzzled her nose against his, and he returned the gesture in kind.

“Thank you, bunny...”

“Alles für dich, foxy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation time!
> 
> _Nein_\- no  
_Alles fur dich_\- Anything for you


	5. Day 5- Caress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that I'm one hundred percent useless when it comes to posting things in a timely manner.
> 
> Anyway! This chapter is something I've had in my head for a while. I can't remember where I saw the original story that gave me the idea for this, but it's a headcanon that I've seen shared among quite a few fans. So yay matching headcanons! 
> 
> Brief disclaimer- there is mention of injuries and scars in this chapter. It's nothing descriptive or gory, but if those topics make you uncomfortable feel free to skip over this one!

For the majority of his life, Edward had never been one to rely on the assistance of others. Even during the moments when he had been knocked down and close to death, he had only reluctantly accepted the help of his allies. He had taken a lot of pride in the fact that, from the time he was a child, he had been able to survive for himself.

That survival, though, had not been without its share of pain, both physical and mental. The mental he had been able to suppress fairly well, given the circumstances he’d had to deal with them under. The physical, he hadn’t been able to escape unscathed. From the beginning of his career as a scientist and the little scrapes and bruises resulting from the myriad of experiments he’d had to perform, to the numerous cuts and gashes he’d received at the hands of the undead. Most of the resulting scars had ended up littering his back, and while the majority had significantly faded over the years, they were still constant reminders of the battles he had fought, and of the life he’d finally begun to leave behind.

There were some nights when those reminders pushed themselves to the very front of his mind; a forceful voice sneering in his head, telling him that no matter what he did or where he found himself, he would never truly be able to leave that past behind. And that was where he stood in the moment- staring at himself in the mirror of his bedroom, taking in the many marks that have developed over the years. He winced as he glanced over his shoulder, the bisecting lines and raised scars blatantly standing out against his pale skin.

He jumped slightly at a sudden soft knock on his door, and before he could grab his shirt, he was met with Julia poking her head through his doorway. She had a gentle smile on her face, and he couldn’t help but grin as she held up a large plastic bag.

“Trash pickup, at your service!” He laughed at her jovial greeting, moving over to open the door fully for her.

“You’re certainly the most cheerful trash collector I’ve ever met,” He noticed her smile falter for a split second and immediately became concerned, especially when he saw a faint flush come over her cheeks. “Are you alright?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, I just... wasn’t expecting to see you without a shirt on.”

“I apologize, I should have said something before you opened the door...”

“Oh, it doesn’t bother me!” She entered his bedroom and shut the door behind herself, and the mood in the room shifted. “I just wasn’t expecting it... I guess that’s how you felt when I changed in front of you the other night, huh?”

“Oh-“ He could feel his own face flushing as he remembered a few nights prior, when he had been in her room as she changed clothes. “I suppose we’re even now then?”

“Sounds like we’re even to me!” He grinned as she broke into laughter, the sound a welcome bit of joy. He turned to pick up his garbage can, and suddenly that laughter stopped. He heard a soft gasp, and saw the smile fall from her face in the mirror’s reflection. He knew exactly what had caused the reaction. “Edward...”

“They’re not nearly as bad as they appear.”

“Edward, what... happened?”

“Many things over the years. Most are from the undead, but there are several from my time as a scientist for Group 935.” He stood still as he saw her drop the garbage bag from her hand, moving cautiously closer to him. His shoulders tensed as he watched her reach out, placing her hand gently on his back. “I assure you, most of them were hardly painful. I just seem to bruise easily. Doesn’t make them any less hideous, though...”

“They’re not hideous.” Her voice was clipped, but sincere. She ran her fingers over the scars, tracing the marks with feather light touches. “They show that you’ve survived.”

“Julia?” She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him back and close to her body. Her lips brushed lightly between his shoulders, and it sent a hard shiver up his spine.

“Please don’t ever call anything about yourself hideous, Edward... you’ve survived so much to get here. Nothing you’ve been through has beaten you.”

“I...” He had a thought, but it died in his throat. He was staring at their reflection in the mirror, seeing how her eyes were closed and how her forehead pressed against his back. He placed his hands over her forearms, gently squeezing them in reassurance. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I am right.” He chuckled softly, and he felt her lips turn up into a tiny smile against his skin. “Glad to see you finally realized that.”

“I’ve never said you weren’t.” He turned, pulling her into a strong hug and placing a kiss to the top of her head. “Besides, you’re not Dempsey. Of course you have some intelligence and common sense.”

“I’d say that was an asshole comment if it wasn’t completely accurate.” The pair burst into laughter once again, and Edward finally grabbed his shirt and slipped it over his head. “I meant it before, by the way.”

“Meant what?” 

“That I wasn’t bothered by you with your shirt off. I’m not bothered by the scars either.”

“Really?”

“They’re a part of you. It might’ve surprised me at first, but like I said, they show that you’ve survived. And I’m thankful that you have.”

“Yes... I’m thankful as well.” 

He felt thankful for many things in that moment. Most of all, the one standing before him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No translations today! 
> 
> But a side note- I know how hard it is to feel comfortable in your own skin. Especially when there's parts of you that you hate. Just know that you're worthy of feeling good about yourself, and you're worthy of love. Don't let the things you dislike about yourself negate all the wonderful things about you.


	6. Day 6- Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM COMPLETE GARBAGE I AM SO SORRY THIS HAS GONE SO LONG WITHOUT AN UPDATE  
Things have been... very bad recently. In addition to some escalating drama within the Zombies fandom- which needs to fucking stop, because it's gone on long enough and is completely fucking pointless- I've been dealing with some personal things that have made working on writing and updating a real struggle. But I'm hoping to be able to get this finished before the years end, in addition to one I've been planning on for December as well. 
> 
> Thank you all so, so, so much for all the support you've shown on these little one shots. It means so much more than you could ever realize.

_‘Es tut mir leid, Eddie...’_  
_‘Mama und Papa...’_  
_‘Sie sind gegangen, Eddie. Es tut mir leid, mein junge...’_  
***  
_‘Eddie ist ein lügner!’_  
***  
_‘Du fühlst dich werklich so?’_  
_‘Ja...’_  
_‘Ich weiß nicht was ich sagen soll...’_  
***  
_‘Edward! Bist du ein dummkopf?!’_  
_‘Maxis, I-‘_  
_‘I don’t want to hear it, Edward! Watch Samantha, make yourself useful for something!’_  
_‘...yes, Doctor Maxis.’_  
***  
_‘You cannot possibly expect me to let this happen!’_

Edward woke gasping for air, his heart racing as he gained his bearings. His body was stiff, and he could feel his eyes watering even before he opened them. His hands clutched at the blanket draped over his chest, holding on to something tangible to help bring his mind back to reality.

“Edward?”

He took in a sharp breath as a soft voice broke through the fog in his head. He forced his eyes open, and in the dim light of his bedroom, he saw Julia laying next to him. There was concern and fear in her eyes, and he could feel her hand take hold of his as he struggled to breathe. 

“Edward, what happened?”

“Nightmare...” He hated how hoarse and weak his voice was. Julia reached over him and grabbed the water bottle from his bedside table, tossing it amongst the blankets before helping him sit up. Her hand rubbed gentle circles against his back, the action helping to relax his tense muscles. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Her voice was soft and gentle, and he could feel his breathing start to even out as his body started to work itself out from its panicked state. She grabbed the water and held it up to his lips, tilting it carefully and helping him to take tiny sips. “I understand if you don’t, but I’m here to listen if you need to.”

“It was... negative moments from mein life. Played out before me like a film...”

“Anything specific?”

“Being told about my parents’ deaths, being in that wretched orphanage... being rejected by the one person I opened my heart to... being disregarded by my mentor and realizing that my life was all for naught...”

“Edward...” He hadn’t realized that his breathing had become so shallow again until he took in a shuddering gasp, her voice once again breaking him out of his thoughts. He took another sip from his water, moving his hand and placing it on top of hers on the bottle. “You’re okay. You’re safe here now. All of that is behind you now...”

“It still... haunts me...”

“I know... I know, you’ve been through so much shit...” She moved the hand she had on his shoulders to the back of his head, her fingers threading lightly through his hair. “But all of that shit is in your past now. You’re away from everything. You’re starting over from here.”

“Even when I feel like I’ve escaped it all... it still comes back...”

“I know. And that happens sometimes. You just have to keep telling yourself that all of those things are behind you. They happened, and you can’t change that they happened, but you can move forward from them.”

Julia pulled the bottle away from Edward’s lips, capping it and tossing it to the foot of the bed before wrapping her arms tightly around him. He tensed briefly, but her warmth quickly eased him. He brought his arms around her in return, burying his face against her neck, and allowing himself to finally start releasing the things that had haunted him for so long. The heaviness in his heart began to lift as he felt her return to rubbing his back, the action making him believe that he could truly make a new start in this world he found himself in. 

“Danke schoen...” He whispered, a shaky sigh leaving his chest as he felt her squeeze her arms around him.

“Gern geshehen, liebe...” He pulled back in surprise, and a tiny giggle escaped her lips as she noticed the shocked expression on his face. 

“What? I’ve been listening to you here and there.”

“I suppose I just wasn’t expecting to hear it from you...”

“I still don’t know a lot, but I’m learning. I have a good teacher.”

Julia smiled to him, and despite how tumultuous his emotions had been only a few moments prior, he felt himself smiling in return. She leaned in and pressed a light kiss to his forehead, before leaning back against his pillows, pulling him down with her. She let his head rest against her chest, and he listened to the steady sound of her heartbeat as she pulled the blankets up to cover them both. They kept their arms around one another as Edward felt himself being lulled back to sleep by her presence. He could feel her watchful gaze on him, and he glanced up the see her looking down through half-lidded eyes. 

“You should sleep as well, liebling.”

“Only when I know you’re asleep...”

“I’ll be alright, so long as you’re here.”

“Always, Edward. Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation time!
> 
> _Es tut mir leid_\- I am sorry  
_Sie sind gegangen_\- They are gone  
_Mein junge_\- My boy  
_Eddie ist ein lügner_\- Eddie is a liar  
_Du fühlst dich werklich so_\- You really feel that way  
_Ja_\- Yes  
_Ich weiß nicht was ich sagen soll_\- I do not know what to say  
_Bist du ein dummkopf_\- Are you a fool  
_Danke schoen_\- Thank you very much  
_Gern geshehen, liebe_\- You're welcome, love  
_Liebling_\- Darling


	7. Day 7- Playing With Hair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM ABSOLUTE GARBAGE.
> 
> So this prompt challenge got abandoned. I fully admit that. Things in life went and got fucky right around the same time as I was trying to work on this, and everything just got turned upside down. To make a long story short- the company I worked for announced in November last year that they were going out of business, and the store I worked in officially closed in the middle of March. I lost the job I had for over eleven years, and because of the COVID-19 outbreak and everything being put under quarantine, I have yet to find another job. I'm okay for the time being, but I know that once everything returns to some semblance of normalcy I'll have to go back out and try to find something again, which scares the shit out of me. Plus all the drama in the Zombies fandom has affected me pretty severely, to the point that I didn't want to even touch anything remotely involving the boys. It's died down a lot, except for one particular incident, but I still have a huge amount of fear as a result of all that shit.
> 
> On the bright side, being quarantined has given me plenty of time to think about things. I've had a tremendous amount of support come through for me as a result of all that drama, and with the help of that support, I made the decision that I wasn't going to let anything or anyone come between me and the things that make me happy. And Edward Richtofen is one of the most consistent sources of joy I have right now. Thus- the self shipping goes on! And not having a job has given me plenty of time to work on writing (despite the fact that I haven't really done much writing aside from this, but that's beside the point lol). So hopefully I'll have plenty of new material for everyone soon!!
> 
> ON WITH THE FIC!!

Edward Richtofen had fought many battles in his lifetime. Some had even escalated to the point of becoming wars. Many demons, many enemies, many memories- things that he had fought valiantly and succeeded in defeating. But there was one foe that, no matter how hard he battled, he could never seem to vanquish. 

His hair.

He had always struggled with keeping his hair in line, ever since he was a small child. His mother would always carefully comb his hair back, making sure that every strand was neatly set into place. Inevitably, as the day wore on, a cowlick would work itself loos and flop errantly onto his forehead, no matter how hard he tried to keep it in place. _‘Immer noch mein hübscher Junge’_, his mother would say, smiling her gentle smile down to her son. Later, after his parents and sister were gone, it was something that often got him scolded at the orphanage he was forced to live his out the remainder of his adolescence in. Even during his time working with Group 935, it was something his fellow scientists would poke fun at when they saw him struggling to keep it in place. 

And now, in an entirely separate place and time, when all of those things were long since behind him, his hair was still giving him problems. He had a medicine cabinet full of gels and sprays that he and his allies had all attempted to use at one point or another, and yet he still stood in front of his bathroom mirror after his shower, still fighting the same damned cowlick.

“Whatcha doing there, handsome?”

Edward jumped at the sudden voice beside him, but his surprise and annoyance quickly faded when he saw Julia leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom. A smirk came to her face, and he was suddenly very aware of the fact that not only had she succeeded in surprising him, but that he was standing in front of her wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. He could feel heat creeping into his face, but he tried to compose himself as best he could.

“Just... trying to sort out mein hair.” He said lamely, mentally kicking himself for such a terrible response. 

“What’s up with your hair?” She skirted past him into the bathroom, sitting herself down on the closed toilet seat and watching him as he continued to fuss with it. “It looks fine to me.”

“It’s this one piece,” He pointed at the piece hanging over his forehead, mockingly scowling at her as the smirk came back to her face. “No matter what I do it never wants to stay in place.”

“Stubborn, just like the head it’s on.” She extended her leg, poking his hip with her toes and breaking into giggles as he playfully swatted her hand away. “Seriously, your hair’s fine!”

“It’s done this since I was a child,” He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he remembered his mother. “Even when meine Mutter used to try, it would always come loose on its own.”

“Not for lack of trying on her part, I imagine.” She smiled gently to him, and for a split second, he thought that the image matched his memories. She stood, coming up next to him and looking at their reflections stood side by side in the mirror. “Still handsome, regardless.”

“That’s... exactly what she used to say to me. That I was still her handsome boy...” Edward saw the smile fall from Julia’s face, and quickly spoke up again before she could utter the apology he felt coming. “My sister’s hair was much harder to manage, so I suppose in the end I ended up giving her less grief in that regard.” 

“Edward-“ He shook his head, smiling to her to show that he was okay. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-“

“It’s alright, Liebe,” He hesitated for only a second before he wrapped his arm around her, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease before she hugged him in return. “It feels nice to speak about them now and again. Almost as if they’re still with us, if only in spirit.”

“They are.” Her arms tightened around him, and he easily returned the gesture. “They’re always with you. And they’re so proud of you. Now,” She swiftly left his arms, pushing him around and sitting him down onto the toilet seat. The mood in the room instantly changed from melancholy to playful, something he was always in awe of her ability to do. “Lemme see your hair.”

“What?”

“I wanna see what’s got you so grump,” She carefully ran her fingers through his hair, before ruffling it up so that it was sticking out in every direction. “I think it looks fine just like this.”

“Like I’ve just slept?” He reached out and pressed his hands into her sides, a satisfied grin plastered on his face as she shrieked from the sensation of being tickled. While she was doubled over and holding her sides, he ruffled her hair the same way she had to his, laughing as it flew wildly around her head. When they finally regained their composure, they both stood and returned to looking in the mirror, both grinning as they saw themselves in their disheveled states. “Now we’ve both got hair problems.”

“We still look good though!”

“You look good, as always. I look as though I’ve been thoroughly debauched.” 

“Hey, nothing wrong with a little debauchery,” She nudged him with her elbow, and only then did he realize the implication in his choice of word. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner for it.”

“I can agree there,” He wrapped his arms around her again, this time with no hesitation. “You’ve certainly brought out my more playful side again.”

“I’m glad,” She reached up and ruffled his hair again, giggling softly as he shook his head to get her hand away. “I like it when you smile.”

“I do too, Liebchen... I do too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation time!
> 
> _Immer noch mein hübscher Junge_\- Still my handsome boy
> 
> Mama Richtofen loved her little boy so much ;-;   
Also the part where I poke Edward in the hip with my toes is quite possibly one of my favorite images my head has ever given me.


	8. Day 8- Carrying/Holding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ask you all to suspend your disbelief for this one- let's pretend that I didn't drop out of college and actually studied while I was going, and let's pretend that I'm actually light enough to be considered 'not heavy' lmao. Although I imagine Edward has built up a decent amount of muscle from carrying around heavy equipment and weapons for so long.
> 
> No, heavy equipment is not a euphemism for something else. Get your minds out of the gutter.
> 
> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Edward, as usual, was wandering the house. It was well past the time that everyone usually shifted upstairs to bed, and he and Julia had made it a habit to always be the last ones to turn in for the night. It had started when Julia refused to leave his side on one of their first nights in the house, after he had suffered a near breakdown at the mercy of the voices that plagued his thoughts. It quickly morphed from a single night of concern to a running joke between them- their erratic sleeping habits had them passing in the kitchen and halls on many nights, and they eventually decided to spend them in one or the other’s room, staying up and talking or watching videos on her phone until they fell asleep together. It was rare that they fell asleep without one another.

So when Edward couldn’t find Julia in either of their bedrooms, he immediately feared the worst. That she had either withdrawn into one of her depressive states, where she let almost no one around her, or that he had done something to make her withdraw from him. Her car was still in the driveway, so he knew she was obviously still in the house, but she was nowhere to be found on the upper floor. He decided to venture to the lower floor, when he passed Tank making his way up the stairs at the same time.

“Dempsey, have you seen-“

“Jules?” Tank chuckled as Edward’s cheeks flushed pink, and he punched him lightly on the shoulder. “You’re real transparent, you know that Doc?”

“Three syllables, I believe that’s a record for you, you meathead.”

“I’ll ignore that smartass comment, seeing as how you’re burnin’ up. She’s in the kitchen, she fell asleep at the counter again. I didn’t wanna wake her up so I figured I’d leave her until she woke up herself.”

“She’ll wake up in pain if she stays like that all night.” Tank made to respond, but Edward was already rounding the bottom of the staircase.

“You’re welcome, ya damn kraut!”

Edward peered through the entryway of the kitchen to see Julia exactly as Tank described- slumped over a stack of notebooks and an open textbook at the kitchen island. She still had a pen in her hand, and as he approached, he could see where it had left little markings on the pages amongst her careful notes. A heavy sigh left his chest; he knew that she pushed herself when she was working, especially when she got particularly involved in writing or notetaking, and that she had a tendency to overwork herself, sometimes to the detriment of her health. He carefully pulled the textbook and notebooks out from under her arms, closing and stacking them neatly off to the side of the counter before turning his attention to her.

Edward cautiously pulled out the stool Julia was sat on, holding her steady with an arm across her waist. Quickly he shifted his hold, slipping his free arm under her legs and moving the other from her waist to around her shoulders. He easily picked her up, surprising himself when she was much lighter than he’d expected. Even as she slept, she nestled in against his chest, and he simply stood with her in his arms for a moment before he remembered what he had come down to do in the first place.

He padded out of the kitchen and to the staircase, leaning against the wall to steady himself as he slowly ascended one by one. He was taking extra caution to not wake her, trying to keep his footsteps as quiet as possible, and to keep himself from tumbling backwards as he moved.

“Just to the top of the stairs, Edward...” He mumbled to himself, willing himself not to drop her. “Then to the end of the hall...”

Edward did make it to the top of the stairs, where he paused for a moment to make sure she was still asleep before making the short trek to her bedroom at the end of the hall. He tread even lighter as he passed by the others’ bedrooms, not wanting to draw attention to his movements and risk having one of them come out and possibly wake her. He nudged the door shut with his foot as he finally entered, leaning his back against it for a moment and catching his breath. She wasn’t heavy by any means, but he wasn’t used to exerting himself in a way that also required a level of caution.

After he took a second to relax, Edward carefully crossed the room and laid the girl down in her bed. For a moment, he marveled at how tiny she appeared against the king-sized mattress. Their difference in height was stark enough when they were both standing, but seeing her so dwarfed by her own bed made it even more apparent. Still, he smiled as she curled up amongst the familiar blankets and pillows, the sight reminding him of the night he had come up with her ‘foxy’ nickname. He pulled one of the heavier blankets up over her shoulders before brushing a stray piece of hair away from her face, the gentle action the thing that finally caused her to stir.

“Eddie?” Her voice was heavy, and he gently shushed her as he continued to stroke her hair. 

“Just me, Liebchen.”

“Stay...” The whispered word sent a shiver through him, and he stepped back from the bed only long enough to remove his shirt and pants before climbing in beside her. Julia wasted no time in curling up against him, pressing herself against his back as he closed the heavy curtains surrounding the bed. As he turned over, he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close as he felt her settle into sleep once again. He placed a kiss to the top of her head before closing his eyes, following her into sleep as he held her tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think the only translation this time is 'liebchen', which means sweetheart or darling depending on the translation. I'm relying on google translate for most of this, so please forgive me if anything is incorrect!


	9. Day 9- Flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BACK AT IT AGAIN WITH THE FLUFF
> 
> I admit I wasn't really sure where to go with this one. So I decided to do something a little different!

Even if he loathed to admit it the majority of the time, Edward had always held a level of respect for his allies. Aside from the fact that they- willingly or otherwise- had placed enough trust in him to follow wherever he had led, they had all come to support each other in their own ways. Nikolai, as much of a pain in the ass as he was, was a valuable asset to their team as a fighter, and always had an additional witty quip when he wasn’t drowning in self-pity. Tank was a powerhouse when it came to combat, and could always be counted on to say something to lighten an otherwise desperate mood. 

Then there was Takeo. Edward had come to value Takeo not only as an ally, but as an actual friend, especially after they had been warped into what was now their new reality. The samurai had an intelligence and sense of wisdom that Edward envied, even if he would never say so out loud. Takeo was always the one to come to Edward’s defense, even when his logic and actions seemed indefensible. It was a support he was thankful he could depend on, especially on the nights when the voices took over. 

It came as no surprise one day when Edward glanced out the sliding door of the kitchen and saw Takeo walking along the far edge of the yard, beyond the pool and nearing the tree line. He had often observed him staying in solitude, even when the others had goaded him into sitting with the group. It wasn’t that Takeo wasn’t interested- he always smiled and laughed along, and even occasionally took part in their shenanigans. But Edward had noticed that he was simply content to let the others do their own thing, and seemed to enjoy watching them have fun. He assumed it had something to do with his upbringing and training- the reservation and observation; it was a trait he wished he could find within himself.

Before he could stop himself, he had started to make his way outside, seeking out the wisdom he knew could help him the most. His mind had been swimming over the past days, and while he had debated turning to one of the others, he knew their answers would likely serve no help to the problem he found himself struggling with. He jogged to the edge of the yard, hardly surprised when Takeo sensed his presence.

“I did not expect you to join me, Richtofen.” Takeo’s voice was calm and even, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I am not used to seeing you without your companion.”

“Companion?” Edward nearly smacked himself in the forehead; that was the entire reason he had come outside in the first place. “Oh, you mean Julia...”

“You’ve been spending much of your time with her since we arrived in this world. It is nice to see you allow yourself to be free for once.”

“It feels nice...” Edward could feel a tinge of heat making its way to his cheeks- he knew he’d been spending a lot of time with her, but he hadn’t realized that the others had taken notice of it as well. 

“Am I correct in assuming that’s why you joined me?” 

“You might be.” Takeo chuckled at Edward’s evasiveness, but stayed silent otherwise. The German hesitated, letting out a shaky sigh before continuing. “The truth is... I’m not sure what to do about it.”

“Spending time with her?”

“Not just that,” Takeo started to walk along the tree line once again, and Edward followed suit. “She and I spend almost every night together, we trust each other implicitly... There are moments when I’m laying with her and my heart feels as though its gone into overdrive. It feels as though there’s something wrong with me, but when she laughs or smiles or moves closer to me in her sleep...”

Edward’s sentence trailed off as Takeo laughed softly, and he looked over in confusion as the warrior plucked a flower from a bush.

“For a scientist, your analytical ability seems to have led you astray this time.” Takeo handed Edward the flower, and he held it tenderly between his fingers. “You’ve never experienced these feelings before, have you?”

“Only once... but things went wrong before I could figure out what they were. Just like everything else in mein miserable life...”

“You have been focused too much on the negative.” Takeo stopped walking and fixed Edward with an even stare. “You have been broken by your past. But that past does not define this future. Do not allow your fears to control you any longer.”

The two were cut off by a raucous shout coming from the direction of the house, and they looked to see the rest of their housemates gathered around the fire pit on the patio. From their vantage point, they couldn’t see exactly was happening, but they could make out Julia grabbing something out of Tank’s hand before punching him on the arm. The sight made Edward smile fondly, something the did not escape Takeo’s notice. 

“As I said,” He placed a hand on Edward’s shoulder, gently turning him to face the house. “Do not allow your fears to control you. Follow what your heart believes is right. I believe we are not being led astray this time.”

Edward fiddled with the flower in his hands, glancing from it to the house before he nodded in agreement. He turned to look at Takeo, who still held that even stare, and he fixed him with one of his own in return.

“Danke, Takeo.”

“It is my honor to assist you, Doctor.”

They simply nodded to one another, a higher level of mutual respect having been reached between them, before starting to walk back to the house, Edward toying with the flower the entire way. He couldn’t help but smile as Julia turned their way, a look of confusion passing briefly over her face before she broke out in a grin. 

“Hey, where’d you guys come from?” She asked, grabbing two drinks out of the cooler before standing to meet them at the steps. “I looked around the house but you were nowhere to be found.”

“Simply having a conversation,” Takeo took the drink from her, nodding gratefully before sidestepping up to the patio. “Advice sought between friends.”

“Is everything okay?” She turned her attention to Edward, who had hesitated to take the drink she offered. “Are you alright?”

“Ja... I’m alright.” He glanced over, making sure the others were distracted before tucking the flower into her hair, the action causing a light flush to come to her cheeks. “I needed a moment to clear my head, and met up with Takeo by mistake. But everything is alright.”

“You weren’t overthinking again, were you?”

“Nein, Liebchen,” He smiled, and he felt that familiar leap of his heart as she smiled in return. “For once my mind was at ease.” 

“That’s good!” Julia’s words were cut off by Tank, who was hunched over on the edge of the patio and making an overexaggerated retching sound. “Fuck is your problem, jackass?”

“Sorry, I couldn’t handle any of that mushy shit you two were doin’.” 

“I will strangle you in your sleep.” She deadpanned, punching Tank in the arm again as she and Edward joined the others around the patio.

“You know you’d miss me if I wasn’t around!”

“Ja, who else would you banter with if Dempsey were gone, Liebe?”

“Well, there’s always Nikolai.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think all the German words are ones I've translated before, but it's just the basics- yes, thank you, sweetheart, etc.
> 
> Told you guys it was a bit different! We all know Edward is an awkward bean, and it's likely that he's never had any sort of real experience with love in his life. Romantic love, at least. And Takeo has the kind of quiet wisdom needed to help Edward realize that he is not in fact broken, but that he's simply opening himself up to finally be free to have those feelings without fear.  
sdhfaakjhfj I REALLY hope you guys like this one, I was unsure about it as I was writing it and I'm still a little unsure of it now. I just hope how I wrote the boys worked!
> 
> MORE TO COME SOON!


	10. Day 10- Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO HAPPY WITH THIS ONE I LOVED WRITING THIS SO MUCH

As was the case many nights, Edward found himself in Julia’s bedroom, laying in bed with her after the day was done. The rest of their housemates had gone out for the evening, leaving them the only ones in the house, something that had delighted Julia when she had returned home from work. She decided to celebrate the rare night of solitude by ordering a pizza for the two of them to share, filling the small refrigerator in her room with copious amounts of soda, and pouring an entire bag each of potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn into a bowl for them to munch on. She refused to let him help with anything, but he was able to sneak the pizza up to her room without her chastising him. 

After all the food had been brought up to her room came the daunting task of choosing a film to watch, which had stumped them both until Julia had an epiphany. She had run back down the stairs, leaving Edward a moment to change his clothes before she reappeared with several blu-rays and a mischievous smile on her face. 

All of that led them to laying in her bed, propped up against a stack of pillows from both their beds combined. He was in his pajamas, while she was in her preferred combination of long-sleeved sleep shirt and knee high socks. The pizza was quickly eaten while they made their way through the first two films, a duo by the title of Ghostbusters that she had dubbed some of her favorites. Edward couldn’t help but question some of the science presented in them, and Julia was quick to remind him that some of his stories could be considered equally unbelievable. They had moved on to the bowl of snacks as they mad their way through the one that she had dubbed ‘the best one of them all’.

“Wait wait wait, this is one of the best lines!” Julia couldn’t stop the giggles as they watched, both from the film itself and from Edward’s reactions.

_‘You are tearing me apart, Lisa!’_

“You are tearing me apart, Lisa!!”

Julia broke down into a full fit of laughter as she shouted the line along with the film, burying her face against Edward’s shoulder as she struggled to regain her composure. 

“Tell me again why you love this one so much?” He asked, smiling despite himself as she continued giggling. “It’s not... very well done, if I’m honest.”

“That’s exactly why!” She lifted her head, resting her chin on his shoulder and grinning up at him. “People love it because of how shitty it is!”

“Isn’t that a bit of a misnomer?”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t stop people from loving it,” She leaned forward to grab a handful of chips, and he took the opportunity to drape his arm over her shoulders as she leaned back. “There are screenings of this movie in theaters, and when people go they dress up as the characters and throw spoons at the screen.”

“Spoons?”

“Spoons.” She giggled as she shifted closer to him, and he tightened his hold as she rested against his side. “If you look closely, there are pictures of spoons in the frames all over Johnny’s apartment, so when one of them shows up in the background there’s just this deluge of spoons getting thrown across the theater. It’s fucking awesome!”

“You sound as though you’ve had experience.”

“Maybe.” They realized that their snack bowl was empty, and Julia reluctantly left Edward’s side to move it and the empty pizza box off her bed. She gathered up the empty soda cans as well and piled everything onto her desk before returning to his side, snuggling close to him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder again. “It’s a little awkward watching all the sex scenes in a room full of strangers though.”

“I would imagine so... still, it sounds as though it’s fun.”

“It is! Next time there’s a screening around here I’ll bring you with me!”

“If it would make you happy, Liebchen, I’ll gladly come with you.”

“YAY!” She threw her arm over his stomach, hugging him tight and nestling in against him. He grabbed one of the thick blankets from the foot of the bed, pulling it up over the both of them before holding her tightly in return. “We can go to the screening and then get food at some twenty four hour place, we can make a whole date out of it!”

“A... date?” He was thrown off by her use of the word, but when she looked up smiling at him, he couldn’t help but nod in agreement. “That would be wunderbar, Liebchen.”

“Then it’s a date!”

“The first one, I suppose?”

“Oh, hell no.” She leaned her head on his shoulder, giggling softly as the main characters of the film now aimlessly tossed a football back and forth while wearing tuxedos. “I think this is the first official one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you knew which movie they were watching you get cookies ^_^
> 
> Also that image of me and Edward laying snuggled up in bed in a pile of pillows with a pizza box off to the side is prime cuteness I'M JUST SAYING


	11. Day 11- I Love You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AGSKDUSJS I FORGOT TO ADD MY NOTES 
> 
> LONGEST PROMPT YET LADS. I’m SUPER happy with this one, and I’m sure you can guess by the title exactly what’s about to happen. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> No not smut THIS IS G-RATED KEEP YOUR MINDS OUT OF THE GUTTER.
> 
> Also- italics are flashbacks!

As was usually the case, Edward had woken far before Julia did in the morning. Before they had started staying in each other’s rooms, he would use the time in the mornings to get done the little things that he felt needed to be taken care of- showering, tidying his bed, occasionally making coffee for the rest of his housemates, and cleaning up anything that needed to be picked up from the night before.

But since they had started sharing rooms- and subsequently, beds- he found himself simply enjoying the quiet solitude of the early mornings. While their nights did tend to extend well into the AM hours, he still could not shake the habit of waking with the sunrise. He considered himself lucky that his time fighting zombies had given him the ability to function on very little sleep. Until he learned the art of sleeping in, he found himself content to lay in bed, with Julia’s warmth against his side. 

It was these moments, when he was awake while she was still curled against him and sleeping soundly, that gave him the opportunity to think about the many bizarre turns his life had taken. From a happy childhood torn apart, his adolescence in an orphanage, coming dangerously close to the Reichstag due to his mentor’s carelessness, fighting zombies, to where he was now- finally safe, with people who cared enough to take him and his allies in when they had found themselves lost in a time they never expected to be. And having that group of reluctant- and often tempestuous- allies turn into a group that could call themselves friends. 

And then there was her. The girl who was currently fidgeting in her sleep in an attempt to bury herself closer against his shoulder. The one who had taken them in in the first place, even when they were nothing but blood covered strangers to her. The one who had stubbornly stayed by his side during the nights when the voices and his memories had threatened to break him. The one who had trusted him enough to let him see the insecurities she tried so desperately to hide within herself. The one who made his heart skip in a way he had never felt before. 

It hadn’t been until he had spoken to Takeo that he realized what that skip of his heart had meant. He realized that he was still capable of giving and receiving the emotions he thought had abandoned his heart long ago. He started to believe that maybe he was worth receiving them in return, when the rejections of his past had all but shattered that belief for most of his life. Takeo’s quiet wisdom had helped him to understand that he was not broken, and that he could, and should, follow what his heart was feeling. 

But it hadn’t been until he had gotten into a conversation with Tank that he truly realized the extent of those feelings. The afternoon after his conversation with Takeo, Edward had been tucked away in his bedroom, presumably reading when Tank had wandered by the cracked door. 

_The Marine had glanced in, prepared to make a sarcastic quip at his former rival, but was immediately struck by his unusual body language. The doctor was slumped over his desk, his chin in his hand as he ignored the open book in front of him, instead staring out the window with a sullen expression on his face. Tank was used to seeing Edward sour and angry, but since they had arrived in their new reality, those moments had become few and far between._

_‘Hey, what’re you doin’ cooped up in here, kraut?’ Tank asked, his voice light as he strode into the room. Edward simply shrugged, not bothering to pull his gaze away from the window, an action that thoroughly confused him. ‘Uh... you alright, Richtofen?’_

_‘Alright is a matter of perspective, Dempsey.’_

_‘You sick or somethin’?’_

_‘Nein,’ Edward only turned when he heard Tank enter the room, and it was only when he got closer that Tank realized just how sullen Edward was. It looked as though he hadn’t slept in weeks. ‘Simply thinking.’_

_‘No offense, but you look like shit, Doc.’_

_‘I suppose it mirrors my mental state.’_

_‘What’s going on? Usually you talk to Jules when-‘ Edward’s shoulders visibly tensed at her name, and Tank cautiously approached the desk. He followed Edward’s gaze out the window, where he saw Julia with Takeo and Nikolai out on the patio. She and Nikolai were laughing about something, while Takeo was obviously fighting back a grin at whatever had transpired. ‘Something happen between you and Jules?’_

_‘Not really between us. More of a... realization.’_

_‘What’d you realize?’ Edward shot Tank a half-hearted glare, and he put his hands up in surrender. ‘Look, I know I’m the last person you’d wanna say shit to, especially about feelings or whatever... but if it’s bugging you this much, you should probably talk to somebody about it.’_

_‘I spoke briefly to Takeo about it yesterday.’_

_‘About what?’_

_‘My... feelings.’ His admission was begrudged, but Tank could see the smile that quirked up the corners of Edward’s lips._

_‘What kinda feelings?’ The frown returned to Edward’s face, and Tank finally realized exactly what was going on. ‘Shit, you love her, don’t you?’_

_‘Do you realize what a difficult question that is, Dempsey?’_

_‘Do you realize how easy of an answer it is?’ The doctor’s glare turned helpless, and Tank placed an uneasy hand on his shoulder. He could tell how deeply the confliction had to be affecting him, even if his anxiety and pride prevented him from admitting it. ‘Look Doc, you know I ain’t about that mushy shit, but... you should tell her.’_

_‘How?’_

_‘How what?’_

_‘How would I even go about it?’_

_‘Don’t even think about it! Next time you’re with her and you feel like you love her, just say it!’ _

_‘So you’re telling me to be more like you? Run into something without thinking?’_

_‘Yes! Jeez, for somebody who’s supposed to be smart you sure can be dumb as shit, you know that Doc?’_

_‘Coming from you, that seems like a vote of confidence.’_

_‘Just tell her!’_

The next night, Tank had planned for the rest of the house to be empty, giving Edward and Julia the time to be alone. They had taken full advantage, having a movie night in her room that she had affectionately referred to as their ‘first date’. It was that moment that Edward knew that Takeo had been right, he needed to follow his heart. And as he thought about the way it had felt with her head on his shoulder, and the way she lit up as she laughed, and the way she leaned into his touch, he realized that Tank had been right as well.

All of those thoughts were cut off as Julia suddenly stretched next to him, a whine coming from her as she finally awoke.

“Guten morgen,” He whispered, brushing a piece of hair away from her eyes as they opened. Her face softened at his touch, and she smiled up to him as she adjusted to being awake. “Sleep well?”

“The pizza coma helped,” He laughed as she snuggled against him, wrapping his arm around her waist to hold her close. “How long have you been up?”

“Not long. You were sleeping so peacefully that I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“I’m sure that was thrilling, me just drooling into the pillows.”

“Not drooling, Liebchen.” His voice caught in his throat at the term of endearment, suddenly meaning so much more than it had only the night before.

“You okay?” Her expression became concerned, and the only thing he could think to do was place his hand back on her cheek.

“Ich liebe dich, Liebchen.” He could barely hear the soft gasp, and he was acutely aware of her touch on his arm. “I couldn’t keep it from you any longer. I love you.”

“Edward...” He could see Julia’s eyes searching his face, but before he could speak further her lips were pressed against his. They stayed that way for a moment, simply holding each other and kissing softly, almost tentatively, before she finally pulled away. “I’m so glad you said that...”

“Really?”

“Really.” She nodded, bringing her hand up and tracing his cheek with her fingers. “I wanted to say it last night when we were watching movies, but I scared myself out of it. I’m glad you have more balls than I do.”

“I love you, Julia.” He chuckled softly at her blunt statement, leaning in to kiss her softly. He could feel her smiling against his lips, and that familiar skip hit his heart once again. “It feels so freeing to finally say it. I love you.”

“I love you too, Edward. So fucking much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEY FINALLY SAID IT!!!!!!
> 
> Initially I wasn’t going to put that conversation between Edward and Tank in there, but I felt like the chapter needed something to beef it up a bit. Plus I wanted to show the relationship between them, and how it’s developed in this universe of mine. From something antagonistic in the games to an actual friendship. So that’s Takeo and now Tank... _maybe_ Nikolai will get some love in here. Depends on if I wanna take him out of the time out corner or not. 
> 
> Also- the image I described of Edward sitting at the desk looking sullenly out the window is based on an SFM image that was done by the wonderful gulliblepineapples on tumblr. Despite anything that’s happened, I want to make sure he receives credit for the incredible work that inspired me. Thank you.


	12. Day 12- Fantasy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies again for being late on updating! I actually had this one finished a couple days ago, but I just couldn't muster the energy to sit myself down at the computer and actually type it. I suppose I could've typed it on my phone like I did in the olden days of my Duran Duran fics... but I digress, lol.
> 
> Before we start the chapter- the italics show where Edward's mind starts to actually wander away!

It had only been a few days since Edward had told Julia that he loved her, but he still felt as though he were floating on a cloud. Having taken the advice of his allies, he had decided to throw caution to the wind and say the words that had been longing to come out. To his surprise- and relief- his trepidation was met with a tender kiss, and an utterance of ‘I love you too’, something that was still echoing in his mind. The new couple had managed to keep their displays of affection private- more from their mutual anxiety of the others in the house seeing them than anything else- but they both knew it was only a matter of time before they slipped around one of their housemates. Until that happened, they decided to simply take in their newfound moments in peace.

Still, there were times when Edward could feel Julia’s gaze lingering on him just a bit longer than it had before. Times when he found himself distracted by watching her do the simplest of tasks. Times when they would linger in the solitude of her bedroom long after the rest of the house was up and running, wanting to wring out every last second together they could. Times when Edward was attempting to focus, but found his normally sharp and analytical mind wandering.

Thinking about the way his skin still felt warm wherever she touched, despite the contact lasting no more than a few seconds. 

The way she would constantly razz the other members of the house, her laugh singing in his mind as he thought of how their playful battles never seemed to end.

The way her smile lit up her face, and how he would involuntarily smile himself every time he saw it. 

The way she would curl against him in her sleep, almost as if she were subconsciously needing the contact, and how he longed for hers in return.

_The way both his mind and body longed to take that contact further._

_The way he longed to memorize every single contour of her body._

_The way he longed to feel her true warmth against him, unobstructed by any barriers._

_The way he longed to share every piece of himself with her, and for her to share herself in kind._

_The way she would react were he to ask for her to share life with him as one._

_The way she would look standing down a lengthy aisle, dressed in white and a flush to her cheeks to match his own._

_The way she would undoubtedly giggle when he stuttered the words that would unite them._

_The way they would stand together, her hand assuredly clasped in his, as their union was announced as official._

_The way he would place his hands on her stomach, grinning and tearing up at the news she had given him._

_The way he would cradle the result of that news in his arms a mere nine months later._

_The way-_

“RICHTOFEN!”

Edward nearly jumped out of his skin as Tank’s voice ripped him back to reality, the shock causing him to whirl around and almost knock a container of flour off the kitchen counter.

“Shit, you okay Doc?” Tank was thrown by Edward’s reaction, and he clapped him on the shoulder as he struggled to catch his breath. 

“Where in the hell did you come from, Dempsey?”

“I’ve been trying to snap you outta whatever trance you were in for like two minutes.”

“Scheisse...” Edward cursed under his breath, shaking his head in an effort to regain some semblance of rationale. “My apologies, Dempsey. I was lost in thought, I’m afraid.”

“Man, you got it bad for her, don’t ya?”

“What?”

“You were thinkin’ about Jules again, I can tell.”

“You cannot read my thoughts.” Edward said bitterly, more disappointed in himself than anything else for allowing his fantasies to distract him that badly.

“Maybe not, but I’ve seen enough soldiers turn into puppy dogs whenever they got with a new chick they liked. Plus whenever you get that big dumb smile on your face it’s usually either when you’re with her or when you’re thinkin’ about her.”

“Perhaps I was thinking of her.” He admitted, unable to hide it from Tank’s sudden insight. “What of it?”

“So didja tell her?”

“Dempsey...”

“Tell me you told her.”

“Dempsey!”

“You totally did!” Tank slapped Edward on the back, the force of the hit enough to send Edward staggering. “I’m gonna guess from the doofy grin that she said it back?”

“Fine...” Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated that Tank had essentially strong armed the answer out of him. “I told her a few mornings ago. After the night you and the others went out for the evening. We spent the evening watching films, and there was no way I could deny how I felt. So I told her when she woke the following morning. And yes, she said it as well. Now if you’ll please not say anything to the others-“

“Hey, I ain’t a snitch, Doc. I’m just glad I was right.”

“Ja, for once your lack of impulse control benefitted us.”

“I’ll ignore that,” Tank punched Edward on the arm, much more lightly than he had before. “Seriously, I’m glad it worked out. I could tell how much it was eating you up inside. I’m proud of ya, kraut.”

“Danke, you meathead.” The two laughed at their inability to keep from insulting one another, even when they were speaking sincerely.

“...so didja fuck yet?”

“DEMPSEY!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
> 
> I really hope you guys liked this one!! I wanted Tank to be kinda like that frat brother who's constantly asking about his buddies sex lives lmao. But I also wanted there to be actual camaraderie between them as well, considering he was the one who told Edward to just tell me that he loves me lol. I really hope it translated that way!


	13. Day 13- Pining

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I apologize in advance if this one is a little rambling. I had it written out, but then I started adding to it once I started typing lol. The paragraph in the middle is where it gets a little awkward!

In the days following their admissions of love to one another, Edward and Julia found themselves spending even more time alone together than they usually did. They often stayed in one of their rooms well into the morning, sometimes even into the afternoon, simply taking in the time they had. Occasionally, one of their housemates would attempt to rouse them, only to be swiftly distracted by Tank. Being the only other one in the house who knew of their officiality, Tank held true to his word to Edward, going out of his way to respect the privacy they had requested and covertly making sure the others did the same.

The same was true of their nights- they were already accustomed to spending their nights together, but since they had confessed their feelings, there was a new level of tenderness those nights entailed, and they had started to look for any reason to turn in early. And Tank, ever the reliable wingman, came up with ideas to keep the rest of the house occupied.

They had become so accustomed to spending their nights together that on the rare nights they couldn’t, they had no idea what to do with themselves. Such was the case when Julia had taken on an extra night shift at her job, to help with the freight delivery and stocking. She had assured him that it wouldn’t be a regular thing, and that he would sleep through her shift and wake up to her next to him in the morning. He had countered that he wouldn’t be able to sleep without her, now that he was so used to having her there.

Which led to him laying in the dark of his own bedroom, the only light coming from the part in the curtains where the moon shone through, curled beneath the heavy blankets and hugging the pillow she always used whenever they shared his bed. The pillowcase held the faint scent she always had after her showers at night- a mix between the simple clean of her shampoo, the lavender of her body wash, and the vanilla of her lotion. Normally it was something that comforted him, especially when it was combined with her warmth next to him. But without her body pressed against him, it only made him miss her more.

“You’ve truly allowed yourself to become dependent, Edward.” He mumbled to himself, clutching the pillow tighter to his chest. “What was the word Dempsey used the other day... whipped, I believe it was?”

Despite the loneliness he felt, after a few moments Edward could feel his eyes becoming heavy. He found that when Julia wasn’t with him, he couldn’t find the energy to stay up nearly as late as he did when they were together. He closed his eyes, allowing his mind to wander as he attempted to sleep. He found himself thinking back on the images his mind had given him days earlier, in the moments before Tank had nearly given him a heart attack. Two in particular had stayed at the forefront of his mind- the one showing what was clearly a wedding, and the other of him holding a small, bundled blanket in his arms. They had startled him, both with their suddenness and with how natural they felt. Throughout his life, he had always taken extreme caution to think things through rationally before attempting them. The image of a wedding had frightened him- the way it seemed to be rushing him to commitment when he had only just found that love- but when he saw that picture in his mind of Julia in bright white dress, holding flowers and with a veil covering her face, he could feel that skip of his heart come rushing back. And while he had always thought about having a child, he had abandoned that hope when the world seemed to fall apart around them. Now that it had been rebuilt, and he had seen himself in that very position, that desire was coming back as well. Of course, it hinged on her desires as well, but it was something he knew he wouldn’t be able to shake.

As he felt himself slipping into a light doze, he could hear the sound of fading footsteps making their way back and forth in the hall outside his door. Nothing unusual, as he was used to his housemates getting up at all hours of the night for one reason or another. He rolled over, simply trying to ignore it, but unable to as the footsteps seemed to pause outside his doorway. He stayed still as he heard the door open and close, wanting to be convincing if anyone had come in to check on him, but he couldn’t ignore it as the footsteps started padding softly towards him. He turned back over, ready to say something, but was stunned into silence at the silhouette that greeted him.

“Did I wake you up?” Julia’s voice was a cautious whisper, and she paused in place as she saw him move.

“What time is it?”

“Around twelve thirty, give or take.”

“What are you doing back so soon?” He sat up, letting his eyes adjust and moving over to allow her room to join him. As she moved closer, he felt his throat go slightly dry as he saw her wearing nothing but one of his button-down shirts. “Weren’t you supposed to be working until the morning?”

“Yeah... so funny story about that.” She climbed into the bed, and Edward placed her pillow behind her as they settled into their familiar positions- his arm around her waist while she curled against him. “The manager who was supposed to be working the overnight shift with us quit. So we got to leave early.”

“The manager quit?”

“Yup. She apparently came in, said ‘I quit’, took her shit and walked out. It left my general manager in a really shitty place by her doing that, too.”

“What’s going to happen with the freight deliveries now?”

“No idea. I’m not complaining though,” She leaned against him, pressing her lips to his in a tender kiss. “It means I get to be with you. That’s all I care about.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact- that scenario actually did happen at my old job. Our freight deliveries had gotten switched from early mornings to night, and I agreed to help with the overnight shifts since it was extra hours and I'm a total mistress of the dark anyway lol. That went on for a few months, until our operations manager (basically an assistant manager who was the on in charge of freight, stocking, inventory , all that fun stuff) straight up walked out. Came in on time for her shift, basically said screw this, and walked out. Is it any wonder why that company ended up going out of business? XD


	14. Day 14- Shy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before this one starts, I want to put out an apology for any grammatical or spelling errors. I typed this out on my phone, and I tried to check it the best I could, but autocorrect may have gotten the better of me without me realizing >.<

Edward wasn’t normally cautious around Julia. He still held his trepidations, especially since their relationship was still so new, but he usually found himself letting his guard down for her. More than anyone else that had ever been in his life, she had the ability to get him to open his heart and his mind in a way he had never allowed himself before. Years of carefully crafted walls he’d built to protect himself came tumbling down with her, and he had to admit that he wasn’t at all sorry to see them crumble.

Still, there were those moments of trepidation- the times when he was afraid of overstepping any boundaries he may still be unaware of. There were also times when he wanted to ask her so many questions about the world they now resided in. He was so curious about the way society had changed, how it now functioned, about the way people now interacted with one another, about the advancements made in science and medicine and technology- he wanted to talk about it all with her for hours. He held himself back though, not wanting to bombard her or overwhelm her simply to satisfy his own curiosities. 

There was one thing, though, that had been nagging at his mind for days now. He found himself seeking her out one afternoon, the need for knowledge overwhelming him. As he approached her bedroom, he could hear the familiar tapping of a computer’s keyboard and, as he’d come to expect, found her sitting at her desk, typing away on her laptop. He knocked softly to alert her to his presence, and he felt himself smiling as she turned to face the door, a grin coming to her face as she spotted him. 

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, liebchen.” She rose to greet him, and he could feel heat rise in his face as he realized that she was wearing one of his large sweatshirts. She had gotten them for the men when they had first met, as a quick alternative to their blood stained clothes. But since they had started spending an equal amount of time in one another’s bedrooms, he found that she enjoyed wearing them herself. He always had to chuckle when she did- their difference in size meant that those shirts hung well below her waist, hitting somewhere in the middle of her thighs. Just another thing he found endearing about her. “I hope I did not interrupt anything of importance?”

“Nah, just some dumb bullshit,” She made her way to him as he entered the room fully, pushing the door shut behind him with her foot before wrapping her arms around him. She leaned into him, and he responded by meeting her halfway in a tender kiss. They stayed that way for a moment, simply enjoying being in each other’s presence, before Julia pulled back with a giggle. “Wish every study break ended up like this.”

“I did not mean to distract you from your studies, meine liebe,” He kisses the top of her head, intending to move away from her, but her arms held him firmly in place. “Although I do find it amusing that you refer to them as ‘some dumb bullshit’.”

“Language, Edward!” The two laughed lightly, smiling against each other’s lips as they shared another kiss before reluctantly parting. He followed her over to her desk, looking over her shoulder as she closing the various notebooks she had been working from. “So what brings you here to join me this fine afternoon, handsome?”

“I actually had a question that I was wondering if you could answer. Only if it’s not too much trouble, of course.”

“Of course, you know you can always ask me anything! What’s up?”

“Well, I was speaking with-“ Edward’s thought process paused as he noticed the cover of one of Julia’s notebooks- an artful illustration of a rabbit and a fox against a background of a moonlit forest. The two creatures were close, both looking up at the moon in the dark sky, while the fox had its tail wrapped protectively around the rabbit. He reached out and touched it gently, the image making his breath catch. “Was ist das, liebchen?”

“Hmm?” She followed his gaze down to the desk, a deep flush coming to her face as she realized what had caught his attention. “Oh, the notebook cover… I found that last week when I was out getting some stuff for the house. I saw the cover and I thought of the morning when you said that I called you bunny in my sleep, and how you said you’d call me foxy, and… yeah.”

Edward looked over to see Julia staring down at the floor, her arms across her chest as though she were attempting to hide herself. It was something he’d never seen from her before, even during her worst moments; moments when she had been overworked, over stressed, over emotional, near to breaking, all things she rarely allowed herself to show to anyone. Only Julia and Edward knew of those moments, and he was positive that this was different. She seemed almost… embarrassed?

_‘Nein, that cannot be possible… can it?’_ His thoughts quickly wandered through some of the things he has witnessed her do- trying to best Dempsey with the number of shots they could pull from Nikolai’s vodka, arguing with a man nearly three times her size who had dared to try and harm her friend, and the time she’d nearly flashed that so-called night club with the combination of her clothing ensemble and her dancing. _‘If you could consider it dancing, it was more along the lines of jumping and gyrating to those sounds she called music…’_

Edward brought himself swiftly back to the present moment, wrapping his arm around her and lifting her chin with his free hand. He held her close, and taking in her wide eyes and flushed cheeks, he knew that his assessment had been correct.

“Are you alright, meine liebe?” His voice was gentle, and he could see the color deepen in her cheeks as she nodded. 

“Yeah, it’s just… I figured you’d think it was stupid so I didn’t show you, and… now I’m the one being stupid, I’m sorry-“

“Nein.” He kissed her softly, any of the trepidation he had been feeling when he knocked now gone in the need to comfort her. She was tense only for a brief moment, but quickly melted into his kiss. “Nothing about that is stupid, nor are you being stupid. The fact that something like this reminded you of us… is so amazingly sweet, foxy.”

“…thank you, bunny…” Julia quickly brought Edward into another kiss, wrapping her arms around him again and hugging him tight. “Thank you…”

“Ich liebe dich. I love you. Please, don’t ever feel embarrassed to share things like that with me… it helps me remember that this is real, too.”

“I love you so much… but I am sorry, I never let you ask your question.”

“Question?”

“Yeah, when you came in you said you had a question.”

Now it was Edward’s turn to blush. 

“Oh, um… it was nothing, really. I was simply curious about the meaning of some terminology.”

“Yeah?”

“I was speaking with Dempsey the other day, and he used a term I was unfamiliar with… I asked him the meaning, but he only laughed before walking away.”

“What was it?”

“He said I was… ‘whipped’, I believe it was?” Her eyes went wide for a split second, before her expression turned to one of irritation. 

“It means he’s a fucking dumbass, is what it means…”

As if on cue, Tank poked his head through the doorway, a wry smile on his face as he saw the couple in their embrace. 

“I ain’t interrupting anything juicy, am I?” He teased, turning tail with a laugh as Julia broke away from a visibly confused Edward to give chase down the hall.

“I’LL SHOW YOU WHIPPED, YOU JACKASS!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EHEHEHEHEHEHE


	15. Day 15- Passion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright yall. I've had enough.
> 
> IT'S TIME TO GET SPICY.
> 
> Not full spice, since we're keeping this g-rated, but... mild spice. Smol peppers. 
> 
> This chapter DOES contain non-explicit reference to adult feelings, so if for any reason the subject matter makes you uncomfortable (or if you shouldn't be interacting with it!) please feel free to skip over this chapter!

Since the day they had met, Edward had always thought Julia was beautiful. At the very beginning, he’d had no idea how to handle those thoughts- sure, he had found others attractive in his past, but none of those had ever amounted to anything. But when he found himself distracted by her, and having thoughts of her, and spending nearly all his time with her, he realized that it was far more than just admiring her long hair. After he had sought advice- and after some goading- from his allies, he finally figured it out, and it led to him finally finding a new, caring relationship with her. More than anything, he found himself still wondering how he’d managed to get it right. 

On one evening, as was always the case, Edward was in Julia’s bedroom, laying on her bed as she finished her shower. It had become their routine after she would come home from work, and he enjoyed the comfort he found in the regularity of it. It had also become something she constantly teased him about, his choice to remain out of the bathroom while she showered. She would always slyly suggest that he join her, knowing that it would fluster him, and she would always break into giggles as he tried to fight the embarrassment. And he would always give her the same answer- that he preferred to be a gentleman, and that he never wanted to feel as though he were giving in to his ‘primitive instincts’ or that he was pressuring her before they were truly ready for one another. She would always understand, kissing him softly and reassuring him that her teasing was only teasing.

In truth, Edward could never deny that he’d wanted to join her on more than one occasion. While his excuses were rooted in honesty- he wanted to respect her boundaries- there was something deeper that kept him at arm’s length- his nerves, always getting the better of him. The few brief experiences he’d had in his life were with partners who were more focused on themselves than the shared moments, and who were less than appreciative of his desires. As a result, he was left with an apprehensive attitude towards moving forward. That apprehension was only heightened now that he found himself with someone he never wanted to lose, and never wanted to disappoint. That was never something he had shared with her. But Julia’s patience with him was something he was tremendously grateful for, especially when it came to intimacy. She seemed to know when he was truly nervous, and always allowed him his space when he became overwhelmed. 

Still, there were moments when he found himself completely distracted by her- the way she moved, the way her hair seemed to flow with her movements, the way she was so unguarded with him, the way she openly expressed her desire for him- that made that apprehension retreat. He had never acted on it, still intent to respect her, but the simple knowledge that she would never turn him away when he did decide he was ready...  
Edward heard the music in the bathroom turn off, a sign that her time in the bathroom was usually done. And right on cue, the door opened to reveal Julia fresh from the shower. She was wearing the button down shirt that he had left hanging on the door earlier in the day, and from the way the light silhouetted her body beneath the fabric, he could easily tell that it was the only thing she was wearing. Her freshly dried hair hung in its natural wave down her back, and he could catch the scent of her lotion as the steamy air from the bathroom drifted into the bedroom. When she turned to smile curiously at him, he could feel the heat rising in his body. 

She had never looked more beautiful.

“You okay?” She asked, noticing the color that had come to his face. “Your face is all red, babe.”

“Ja, I’m alright,” He sat up as she moved closer to the bed, and once she was near enough, he reached out to take her hand. He pulled her down onto the bed with him, chuckling softly at the surprised yelp she let out as she fell. “You just are so beautiful.”

“What?” She laughed at that, shaking her head even while his arms wrapped around her. “Edward, I just got out of the shower. My hair’s a mess, I don’t have any makeup on- “

“None of that matters.” Without thinking, he pulled her close, looking her in the eyes for a moment before pressing his lips to hers. She tensed in surprise for a split second before she returned the kiss, her hands coming up to hold his face. They kissed unhurriedly for a moment, Edward’s hands carefully sliding up beneath the shirt Julia was wearing. A sigh left his nose as he felt her shiver at his touch, his fingers running lightly up and down the length of her bare back. It was his turn to be surprised when she shifted against him, a noise akin to a gasp mixed with a squeak escaping him as she swung a leg overtop of his, straddling his hips. “M-mein gott...” 

“Too much?” She pulled back, concern evident in her eyes as she looked at him. The movement inadvertently put more pressure on him, and he bit his lip as he felt himself starting to react to her.

“Nein,” He slipped a hand out from beneath the shirt, running his fingers through her hair and smiling as she leaned into his touch. “I suppose there’s no denying my desire at this point...”

“You act like I’m complaining,” She giggled softly, pressing her chest against his as she leaned in for another kiss. His hands felt to her hips, and they shared a glance with one another, a new level of anticipation building rapidly between them. “We can stop if you want, Edward...”

“I... don’t think I want to this time,” His fingers dug into her hips, earning a smile and a delighted gasp. “I’ve been hesitant... because I never wanted to seem as though I was disrespecting you. And...” A moment of hesitation, but he continued. “My own lack of experience... I haven’t had the most successful attempts in this department, I’m afraid.”

“Hey,” Another kiss, the movement creating friction and making him shudder. “We’ll take our time. The door’s locked, everyone’s in bed, I don’t have work tomorrow... we’ve got all night.”

“All night...” The words brought a sudden wave of confidence surging through him, and he pulled her hips against his as she pressed herself against him once again. 

“In that case...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AW SHIT WE GETTIN SPICY UP IN THIS BISH
> 
> I kinda want to extend this chapter further in a separate thing... to take the spice further.......... _p e r h a p s_....................
> 
> lemme know if you guys wanna see this go full spice
> 
> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	16. Day 16- Wings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK BABIES
> 
> So this one gave me a hell of a time. What the hell do you even write for wings?!
> 
> BUT. With the help of my wonderful friend @sliestparty935 I managed to come up with something! I'll admit, this one is a little awkward because I struggled with it, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

When Edward was a child, he had asked an older boy in the orphanage how he would know when he was in love. He had heard a group of them talking about it, and his young, curious mind wanted to know exactly what it would feel like. The boy had told him that it was different for everyone, but one thing he would probably feel would be ‘butterflies in his stomach’. “Flatternde Flügel”, he’d called it- fluttering wings. A feeling almost like a tickle, starting in the pit of his stomach and traveling all the way up to his throat. Being a child, he was awed at the prospect. As he’d grown older, it had become something he scoffed at.

Then came the day he met Julia.

When he thought back on the few times he had thought he’d found love, he realized that even though he’d felt a rush in his heart, there was still nothing else to accompany it. No ideas of what the future could hold for them, no thoughts of family... nothing. His inexperience with romance had cursed him to a life of solitude, he’d thought. But with her, he actually felt all those things he believed would never be his. He finally experienced that tickle in his stomach. He finally knew that feeling that had been described to him so many years ago.

One afternoon, Edward was wandering the house in search of Julia. She had mentioned something about being down in the basement, but it had been a few hours since he had seen her, and he was curious as to what she had gotten up to. As he descended the stairs to the basement, he realized that this was the one part of her house that he had rarely been to. She had given them a tour of the entire house when they had first come back with her, but at the time he had been so overwhelmed that he’d only barely registered the few rooms and their purposes- the laundry room, where she also had an extra refrigerator to store drinks and frozen food, an old office that had been her father’s, and a large, fairly empty room that she had described as ‘practice space’. What that meant, he didn’t know, nor did he ever think to ask. A preliminary glance into the smaller rooms showed them to be empty, leaving only the practice space to check. As he approached the closed door, he could hear music coming from inside, along with the occasional ‘thump’ against the floor- both things that piqued his curiosity.

Edward pushed the door open just enough to poke his head through, and he finally took a good look at the ‘practice space’. It was larger than he recalled, and appeared to have been renovated for a specific purpose. The entirety of one of the longer walls was mirrored, and there was a stereo in the corner of the room with a number of CDs stacked on the shelf below. One of the short walls had a pair of wooden bars fastened to it, sticking out from the wall and one above the other. There were several pieces of furniture, including a couch and a couple chairs, against the other walls, as if they had spontaneously been pushed out of the way. It finally registered to him exactly what the term ‘practice space’ had meant- it had been turned into a makeshift dance studio.

Once he had gotten through the view of the room, he finally caught sight of Julia, and he felt his heart leap into his throat. She was moving to the music, her body swaying and flowing to the rhythm surrounding her. The song had lyrics he could just barely make out- _‘if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, then make a change’_\- but he was far too entranced by his girlfriend to pay attention to trivial things like words to a song. As the key to the music shifted, she launched herself into a leaping turn, and he watched in awe as her body appeared to hang in the air, as if she were being held up by invisible wings. The knot she had tied her hair into worked itself loose with the momentum of the turn, and he heard her sputter comically as she landed and her hair whipped around into her face.

Julia stopped dancing to fix her hair, and she smiled as she caught sight of Edward in the wall length mirror. She started walking towards him, and it seemed like she was moving in slow motion as he felt that flutter start up in his stomach again. The butterflies that had been described to him as a child were coming out in full force, and he realized that he finally knew what being in love felt like.

“Hey babe, what brings you down here?” She pulled him into the room, kicking the door shut behind her before wrapping her arms around him. “I thought you’d be hanging out with the rest of the guys.”

“It’s been a few hours since you came down here, I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“You’re so sweet...” She pulled him down into a gentle kiss, and he could feel his face heating up as she pressed herself against him. They stood together for a moment, kissing slowly as the music in the room changed. “I just came down to practice some of my dancing for a little while. I barely have time anymore.”

“That leap you just did suggests otherwise.”

“Barrel turn, not leap. This-“ She pulled back from his arms, running a short distance before launching into another jump, this time with her legs extended and nearly parallel to the ground. As she landed, she turned to him with a wide smile, and he felt that flutter in his stomach once again. “-is a leap.”

“You’ll have to teach me the terminology, Liebchen. I’m afraid I’m not familiar with much in the way of dance.” 

“Never had a chance to let loose and dance?”

“Nein, leider.” He sighed, thinking about the course his life had taken. “Mein life has primarily been schooling and science.”

“And fighting zombies.”

That statement brought a smile back to his face, and the couple laughed as the stereo in the corner of the room shuffled to another music track. A sharp guitar chord cut through the room, and a slower rhythm and new lyrics- _‘you’ll never make me stay, so take your weight off of me’_\- sounded over the speakers. Julia glanced at the stereo before turning back to Edward with a smirk, and she started to saunter towards him once again.

“Tell you what...” She skirted around him, locking the studio door before taking him by the hand. She led him over to the couch opposite the mirrored wall, gently pushing him down onto the cushions. He looked up at her with wide eyes, an expression coming to her face that he had only really seen a few nights prior. “I’ll show you a different kind of dancing first, then I’ll explain everything...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you know the songs I was dancing to, you get a cookie. ^_^
> 
> So the story behind the basement- years ago, when I was still serious about my dancing, my dad had said that when we got around to redoing the basement of our house, he would take some space and turn it into an area for me to practice. A little makeshift dance studio, as I said up there. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, that never ended up happening. But I figure, if it didn't happen in real life, then I'll make it happen in a story!
> 
> (and yes I was implying a 'suggestive' dance at the end there. dont you judge me >.>)


End file.
